Locking-file.



PATENTED MAY 21; 1907.

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VWILLIAM GIBSON NETHERY, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

LOCKING-FILE.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application led February 26, 1906. Serial No. 302,931.

To L7/Z whom, t may concern:

Be 'it known that I, WILLIAM GIBSON NETHERY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locking-Files, of which the following is a specicatio The object of my invention is to construct a file, upon which invoices may be filed and locked thereto, to prevent their removal or misplacement.

By constructing a locking file after the principle described and illustrated herewith, I provide a file that invoices and important papers may be filed, and may not be removed. without the knowledge of a person who may have a key to manipulate the file.

The device comprises in construction an ordinary filing board having the usual filing posts at one end, and locking posts attached to a metal plate 5 the plate being provided with a lock case, and the plate and lock case being arranged to ride up and down on a lock made fast and extending upward from the filing board.

The metal plate, lock case and lockingA posts are varranged in combination with the lock, that when the device is unlocked they rise up to a certain distance by the action of a compressed spring contained within the loc-k. By the rising of the plate, lock case and locking posts, the locking posts disengage from the filing posts, so that papers may be placed or removed from the file.

, l attain these objects by the device as illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in Which-w Figure 1 is a perspective view of the file', Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the lock and file, on lines a-a Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the lock opened; y

and Fig. 4 is a detail view of an alternative form of lock.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and specifications.

Extending upward in parallel relation from the base board a, at one end are the filing posts t. The -filing posts may be fas tened directly into the board a, or fastened into a metal plate c, adapted to be screwed or otherwise fastened to the board a, such as is shown in Fig. l of the drawings.l

The locking posts d are fastened into a metal plate e, and extend upward in parallel relation, and are arched over at their upper ends to engage with the points of the filing posts. The ends e of the locking posts are hollowed at the ends, to engage over the ends of the filing posts.

Extending upward from the plate c is a hollow post f, and contained in the hollow of the post is a compressed coil spring g, and riding on the spring is a plunger 7L. Fitting over the post f is a square sleeve i, and formed through two opposite sides of the sleeve are slots j. Riveted to the sides of the sleeve are flat springs 7c, having their free ends 7c bent over atright angles, and passing through the slots j, to engagek in notches Z formed in the upper end of the hollow post,

f. Formed through the hollow post f are vertical slots fm, and passing through the sleeve i are screws n which engage in the slots m, and regulate the travel of the sleevei up and down on the post f.

Formed integral with the plate c, and extending upward from the center of the front edge, is a hollow sleeve` 0, adapted to encircle the sleeve i of the lock. Passing through the sleeve o, is a fastening screw p, adapted to engage in a screw hole q, in the sleeve i, so that the plate c, locking posts d, and sleeve 0, will raise and lower together.

By the fastening screws n in the sleeve i engaging in the slots fm, in the posts f, and the fastening screws p, in the sleeve 0, engaging in the sleeve i it will be seen that the locking posts will be limited in their upward travel to the length of the slots m in the posts f.

Formed through the crown plate r of the sleeve i are slots s, adapted to communicate directly with slits t formed through the top of the post f. The slits tformed through the top edge of the post f, extend downward slightly below the notches Z, formed in the sides of the post.

The key u is provided with two legs o, terminating in chamfered ends w.

To operate the lock the legs o are inserted into the slots s, and forced downward into the slits t, in the postf, until the ends engage with the ends of the flat springs 7c and forcethem out of engagement with the notches Zin the posts f, and allow the parts to rise upward through the action of the coil spring g.

Any series of combinations may be had in the lock by varying the shape and sizes of the slots in the crown plate, and by constructing tpe legs n of the key to correspond with the s ots.

IIO

Instead of using a key to unlock the device, I may arrange the parts as described in the alternative form illustrated by Fig. 4 of the drawings. In the alternative form, instead of arranging slots through the crown plate r to permit the inserting of a key to engage with the ends of the springs le; I provide a push plug l, provided with bifurcated legs 2, through the crown plate r and arrange a coil spring 3 around the shank of the plug, to return it to its normal position after it has spread the springs 7c from the notches in the hollow post f, and the parts have been raised upward by the action of the spring g.

Slight modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without deviating from the nature of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i. In a locking file, filing posts extending upward from a plate fastened to the filing board, a hollow post extending upward from said plate, a metal plate having locking members arranged thereon, said metal plate adapted to ride up and downon said hollow post, locking posts arranged with said metal plate, said locking posts adapted to engage with the said ling posts, substantially as described.

2. In a locking iile, filing posts extending upward from a plate, fastened to the filing board, a hollow post extending upward from said'plate, a square sleeve adapted to surround saidpost, said square sleeve having locking members attached therewith, said locking members adapted to engage with said hollow posts, a metal plate having a sleeve formed integral therewith, said sleeve and plate adapted to ride up and down on said hollow post, locking posts formed with said metal plate, said locking posts adapted to engage with said filing posts, substantially as described.

3. Ina locking file, filing posts extending upward from a plate fastened to a filing board, a hollow post extending upward from said plate, a coiled spring contained within said hollow post, a plunger riding on said spring, a square sleeve surrounding said hollovv post, flat springs fastened to the sides of said sleeve, slots formed in the sides of said sleeve, the ends of said springs adapted to pass through the said slots, said springs adapted to engage in notches formed in the sides of said hollow post, a metal plate having a sleeve formed integral therewith, said sleeve adapted to surround said square sleeve, means for fastening said sleeve to the said hollow post, locking posts formed with the said metal plate, said locking posts adapted to engage with the said filing posts, substantially as described.

4. In a locking file, a metal plate, filing posts extending upward from said plate, a hollow post extending upward from said metal plate, a coil spring contained within said hollow post, a plunger riding on said spring, a square sleeve adapted to surround said hollow-post, flat springs fastened to the sides of said sleeve, slots formed in the sides of said sleeve, the ends of said springs adapted to pass through the said slots, said springs adapted to engage in notches formed in the sides of said hollow post, means for fastening the said sleeve with the hollow post, a metal plate having a sleeve formed integral there-A with, said sleeve adapted to surround the said square sleeve, and means to fasten it thereto, locking posts extendingy upward and forward from said plate, said locking posts adapted to engage withsaid filing posts, slots formed in the crown plate of said square sleeve, means by which the said springs may be disengaged from the notches in the hollow posts, substantially as described.

Signed at Toronto, this 12th day of February, 1906.

WILLIAM GIBSON NETIIERY.

In the presence ofv G. N. GORDON, M. M. SWIFT 

